Window operating mechanism



G. W. MAYS WINDOW OPERATING MECHANISM June 23, 1936.

Fil ed March 12, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet l s Y A M w G WINDOW OPERATING MECHANI SM Filed March 12, 1936 5 Sheets-Shet 2 June-23,1936. 1 A'Y 2,045,195

WINDOW OPERATING MECHANISM Filed March 12, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented June 23, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 13 Claims.

This invention relates to window opening and closing devices and particularly to means for opening and closing the windows of automobiles, either sliding Windows or pivoted Windows.

The general object of this invention is to provide means whereby springs may be used to shift the windows in either direction and whereby one or the other of said springs may be manually put into operative position to exert its force on the window, thus doing away with the necessity of manually putting down or pushing up on the window or operating a crank to close or open the window.

Another object is to provide a construction of this kind which includes a pivoted arm or lever directly or indirectly engaging the window and two opposed springs bearing against said arm, the springs being manually shiitable along the arm or lever relative to each other so that one spring may be shifted to cause it to engage the lever at a point more or less distant from the fulcrum than the other spring to thus render one or the other of the springs operative.

A further object is to provide a structure of this character which while particularly applicable to sliding windows, isalso adapted to be used for pivoted windows.

Other objects will appear in the course of the following description.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary face View of a portion of a window frame and sliding window such as is used in automobiles, the window being shown as closed in full lines and as lowered to its open position in dotted lines;

Figure 2 is an enlarged elevation of the structure shown in Figure 1, but showing the position of theparts when the window has been opened;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the structures shown in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is'a fragmentary section on the line 4---& of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary side elevation of a modified form of the structure shown in' Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a like view to Figure 5,"but showing a still further modification;

Figure '7 is a like view to Figures 5- and 6, but showing a still further modification;

Figure 8 is a side elevation of the meansdevised by me for operating pivoted windows.

Referring to Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4, A- designates a portion of the frame of a sliding window B; This Window is illustrated as of that type in whiehthe window slides downward into a pocket in the wall of the casing when it is lowered or opened, and is raised from the pocket C when the window is closed. The window is guided in its vertical movement by the guides D of a suitable or ordinary construction. The pocket is bounded at one side by the inner wall E. Mounted within the pocket C is a transversely extending shaft ll] carrying upon it the sector gear ll provided with the radiallyextending arm or lever l2 carrying at its end a roller l3 engaging in a guide l4 mounted upon the lower rail b of the window B. It will be obvious that when the arm I2 is depressed to the dotted line position, the window will be low-v window is lowered, it is in open position as be,-

fore stated.

Illustrated as mounted upon the shaft is an S-shaped leaf spring I5, which bears against the under edge face of the lever l2. Slidingly mounted in a slot shown in dotted lines in Fig ure I and designated I6 is a slide I! provided with a handle l8 or knob disposed exteriorly of the interior wall E of the pocket, the slot It being in this interior wall. This slide l1 carries upon it a spring E9, the spring having a coil 26 connected directly to the slide I l and then extending upward and forward in a curve and at its extremity extending toward the lever l2 and carrying at its end the roller 2i bearing against the upper edge of the arm or lever l2.

It will be seen that in the position of the parts shown in Figure 1, the roller 2| is nearer to the fulcrum or shaft Ill than the extremity of the spring it, so that the spring l5 exerts a greater force or has a greater leverage upon the arm I2 than the spring I9, and that .thus this spring I5 will urge the arm or lever l2 upward, thus raising the window, but that if the slide I! be shifted to the position shown in Figure 2,

then the end of the spring l9 will be disposed,

further from the fulcrum H] than the extremity of the spring i5 and that thus the spring l9 will urge the arm l2 downward to the position shown in Figure 2.

For the purpose of holding the window in either its raised or its lowered position, I provide a latching mechanism. The latch ZZis pivoted, as at 23. The extremity of this'latch is formed with an upwardly and rearwardly extending nose 24 and, as shown in Figure 4,'with a laterally extending tooth 25 which engages in the teeth 26 formed in the sector gear H. A spring 21 urges this latch in a direction to carry its tooth 25 into engagement with the teeth 25.

In the operation of this structure, assuming the parts to be in position shown in Figure 1, with the window closed, if it be desired to open the window, the slide IT is shifted toward the left in Figure 1 to the position shown in Figure 2, until the lug 29 engages the inclined face 28. This shifts the spring I9 relative to the spring I5 until the extremity of the spring bears against the arm or lever I2 at a greater distance from the fulcrum III than the extremity of the spring I5. At this time, a further movement of the slide I! to the left in Figure 2 causes; the lug 29 to bear against said inclined face 28 and force the latch down or out of engagement with the teeth 26. It is to be understood that up to this time, the arm I2 is in the position shown in Figure 1, but that as soon as the latch has been depressed by the lug 29, the spring I9 will quickly shift the arm or lever I2 downward, lowering the window into its pocket C. If now the slide I! be retracted slightly to the position shown in Figure 2, the latch will spring into engagement with the teeth 26 and lock the window in its lowered or opened position. Now if it be desired to raise the window, the slide I1 is retracted toward the right beyond the position shown in Figure 1, and the stud 29, when it reaches the inclined face 3I, will again force the latch downward. The spring I9 has been retracted relative to the spring I5 and as a consequence, the spring I5 will exert a greater force than the spring I9, and as soon as the latch is retracted, the spring I5 will force the window up. Again in order to hold the window locked, the slide is retracted somewhat or shifted to the position shown in Figure 1, which permits the latch to spring upward and engage the teeth 26 and hold the window latched in its raised or closed position.

It will be understood that the window need not be fully opened or fully closed and yet may be latched in its partly opened or closed position, for instance, if it be desired to partly open the window, that is, lower it from the position shown in Figure 1, then the slide I1 is shifted toward the left in Figure 1, until the spring has been shifted to the position shown in Figure 2 and the latch engaged with the extremity 28 of the nose 24. The spring I9 then begins to lower the window and as soon as the window has been lowered a sufficient amount, the slide I1 is retraeted to the position shown in Figure 2, which immediately latches the window in its partly lowered position. The same is true when it is desired to partly close the window after it has been fully opened. The slide I1 is shifted to the right in Figure 1 to thereby shift the spring I9 to its relatively inoperative position; the spring I5 urges the arm or lever I2 upward, and as soon as the window has been raised a sufiicient amount, the slide I1 is manually shifted toward the left in Figure 1 to the position shown in Figure 1, whereupon the latch, under the action of the spring 21 will engage the teeth 25 and lock the window in this partially closed position.

In Figure 5, I have shown a modification of the structure illustrated in Figure 2, wherein the spring I5, as before stated, is mounted upon the sh aft Ill and bears against the under edge face of the lever I2. The lever I2 is shown as terminatlng in a disk II but this form might be modified without in any way changing the operation of the device. The spring I9 is illustrated as being mounted upon a sector gear 32 by means of the stud 33. This sector gear is rotatable upon a stub shaft 34 and. is oscillated by means of a rack bar 35 slidingly carried in a guide 36, which rack is provided with a handle I8, as previously described. It will be obvious now that as the slide 36 is shifted toward the right in Figure 5, that the spring I9 will be shifted relative to the spring I5 to carry its extremity a greater dis-- tance from the fulcrum I0 than the extremity of spring I5 and that vice versa when the slide 35 is shifted from the last named position toward the left in Figure 5 and to the position in Figure 5, the spring III will be retracted relative to the spring I5. When it is desired to stop the movement of the sash or window after the sash or window has moved a desired distance from one direction, the slide is shifted until the springs are balanced, that is, until they exert an equal force upon the lever I2. The lever is thus practically latched in its adjusted position but not positively latched.

In Figure 6 is illustrated a further modification of the structure shown in Figure 5 in that the two springs I5 and I9 are both mounted at their rear ends upon studs 31 projecting from the sector gear 32, these studs being disposed diametrically opposite each other. Otherwise than this, the same construction is used as in Figure 5. With this construction, however, both springs are shifted simultaneously, one eing retracted while the other is being projected. In Figure 7 there is shown a further modification of the structure shown in Figure 5, in which the wheel 32 carrying the butt end of the spring I9 is provided with a pinion 38 engaged by the rack 35 carried by the guide 36. In this case, it is the spring I9 alone which is shifted relative to the spring I 5.

In Figure 8, I have illustrated the means whereby a pivoted window, such as used in certain makes of automobiles, may be operated. The pivoted window is designated F and is shown as having a shaft 39 which carries upon it the beveled gear wheel 46. Coacting with this gear wheel 40 is a beveled gear wheel 4I mounted upon a shaft 42 which, to a certain extent, is the equivalent of the shaft I0, this shaft carrying an arm 43, which is the equivalent of the arm or lever I2. Mounted upon the shaft 42 is a spring 44, which is the equivalent of spring I5. A spring 45, the equivalent of spring I9, is coiled at its inner end and connected to a slide 46, the

equivalent of slide I'I. When this slide is shifted to the left in Figure 8, the extremity of the spring 45 is carried inward or nearer to the fulcrum 42 than the extremity of the spring 44, and the spring 44 will therefore exert an upward pressure upon the arm 43 and a turning movement upon the wheel .4I. When the slide 46 is drawn to the right in Figure 8, the extremity of the spring 45 will be carried further away from the fulcrum 42 than the extremity of the spring 44, and the spring 45 will exert a downward pressure upon the lever 43.

For the purpose of latching the window in any shifted position, I provide a latch 4'! pivoted at 48 and having a detent tooth 49 engaging the teeth of the gear wheel M. This latch at its end remote from the tooth 49 is pivotally connected to a sliding rod 59 operating in guides 5|. This rod at its rear end has an upwardly extending arm or lug 52 and forward of this lug 52 is a fork 53 engaging the lower end of a lever 54 pivoted upon a stationary pivot 55. A spring 56 engages this pivot 55 and engages the arm or lug 52 to urge the member 55 toward the left in Figure 8, and thus urge the tooth 49 into engagement with the teeth of gear wheel II.

.' 'In Figure 8,-the windowF is supposed to :be

closed. If it benow desired to open the window by the action of spring 44,. the slide is drawn rearward until the lug 5-1 on the slide contacts with the arm or lug 52. The rearward movement of the slide has carried thezspring 45 outward on the lever .43 to a greater distance from the fulcrum thanthe extremity of the spring 44. As soon as the'lug 51' strikes the log 52, it retracts the rod 50, retracting the tooth 49 from engagement with wheel 4|. The spring 45 then exerts its action to shift. the arm 43 downward in Figure 8 and rotate the gear wheel 4| to open thewindow. As soon as the-window has been opened to a desired amount, thei-slide 48 is" manually shifted justenough to carry the lug 51 away from the lug 52 and then the spring 56 causes the latch 49 to then latch-the window in its partly opened position. If it is desired to further close the window from this partly opened position,. the slide 56 is shifted toward the left in Figure 8, carrying the extremity of the spring 45 inward of the extremity of the spring 44 and then the lug 51' strikes the upper end of lever 54, and shifts the lower end of the lever toward the right in Figure 8, retracting the latch bar and retracting the detent-49 from theteeth of wheel 4|, causingthe spring 44 to be rendered operative to: shift the window towards its closed position when the window has been closed fully, that is, shifted towards a closed position the desired amount, the slide 46 is retracted slightly again, permitting, the spring. 56 to cause the latch bar 50 to'shift towardthe left and cause the tooth 49 to engage'the teeth on the wheel 4|. In this construction, I put the gear 40' under gear 4| .so that the'small glass name may be raised or" lowered if desired.

In Figure 5, I have illustrated a latching de-' vice of the same'general character as that illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, and comprising. a latch bar 22* pivoted as at 23 having an upwardly and forwardly extending portion 24 carrying at its end a laterally extending tooth 25 which engages with teeth 26* carried by the disk The underside of the rack bar carries upon it a dependinglug 29" which is adapted to engage against the upwardly beveled upper face of the portion 24 tothus force the forward end of the latch downward and carry the tooth 25 out of engagement with the teethli, thus unlocking the disk for-free movement under the action of the projected spring IS, the latch being forced downward against the'action of a spring 21. The rear end of the latch just forward of the pivot 23 has an .upwardlyextending lug 3|l having a beveled upper end adapted to be contacted bythe lug 29* when the member 35 is fully retracted. Theoperation of this latch is precisely the same as the operation heretofore described for the latch 22 in that it frees the latch from its latching. engagement either after the spring I 9 has been carried to a point ahead of the-spring l 5-or when the spring l9 has been carried to a point rearward of the spring |5.- This latch, while not shown as applied to the modifications shown in Figures 6 and '7, is obviously capable of use with these modifications. While I have illustrated a latching device of a particular form, it will be-understood'that I do not wish to be limited to the specific'latching device except as stated in the appended claims.

It "will be understood that the knob I8 is to be held, in Figures 1, 2 and 8, until the window has been shifted to the desired position, and

then the knob i8 is manually shifted to cause the latching of the window in this position and that in Figures 5, 6 and 7, the knob I8 is manually shifted: to cause the closing or opening of the window and then retracted, when the window 5 has been opened or closed to a suin'cient degree, to'bring the latch into operative position.

While I have illustrated leaf springs l5 and I9 as being the means whereby the operating lever I2 is shifted in one direction or the other, it is to be understood that upper and lower relatively shiftable elements may be used engaging the upper and lower edge faces of the arm l2, and that the upper element might be urged downward. by any suitable form of spring and the 3d lower element urged upward by any suitable form of spring as, for instance, coil springs, and that by the term spring actuated element" or resiliently actuated element as used in the claims, I mean to include not only the springs l5 and I9 but elements bearing against the arm l2, not springs in themselves, but urged in the proper direction by springs of any suitable type such as coil springs.

While I have illustrated certain details'of construction and certain arrangements of parts which I believe to be thoroughly effective for the purpose intended, I do not wish to be limited to these details except as defined in the appended 0 claims.

What is claimed is:--

1. A window and means for opening or closing it, including a lever operatively engaged with the window, opposed springs bearing against opposite sides of the lever and manually shiftable means for shifting the springs relative to each other to carry one or the other of the springs nearer to or further from thefulcrum of'the lever relative to the other spring.

2. A window and means for opening or closing 49 it,. including a lever operatively engaged with the window, opposed springs bearing against opposite sidesof the lever, manually shiftable means for shifting the springs relative to each otherrto carry one or the other of the springs nearer to or further from: the fulcrum of the lever relative to the other spring, and means for holding the lever in its shifted position.

3. A window and means for: opening or closing F it,.includingv a lever operatively engaged with the 00 window, opposed springs bearing against opposite sides of the lever, manually'shiftable means for-shifting the springs relative to each other to carry one or the other of the springs nearerto or further from the fulcrum of the lever relative to the other: spring, and means actuated by the manually shiftable means for positively locking the lever in any shifted position.

4; A window and means for opening or closing it, including a lever operatively engaged with the window, opposed springs bearing against opposite sides of the lever, amanually shiftable slide and carrying at least one of said springs, the slide when shifted shifting the springs relatively to each other to carry the extremity of one or the other of the springs nearer to or further from the fulcrum of the lever, and means controlled by said slide to hold the lever'from further movement after a desiredopening or closing movement F of the window has been secured.

5. A window and means for opening or closing it,rincludinga lever operatively engaged with the window, opposed leaf springs bearing against op posite sides of the lever, one of said springs being fixed from movement toward or from the fulcrum (lil' of the lever, manually operablemean s supporting the butt end of the other leaf spring and shiftable'to carry the free end of the second named spring nearer to or further from the fulcrum than the free end of the other spring.

6.A window and means for opening or closing it, including a lever operatively engaged with the window, opposed leaf springs bearing against opposite sides of the lever, one of said springs being fixed from movement toward or from the fulcrum of the lever, manually operable means supporting the butt end of the other leaf spring and shiftable to carry the free end of the second named spring nearer toor further from the fulcrum than the free end of the other spring, and means controlled by said slide for latching the lever in any position to which it is shifted by said springs.

7. A window and means for opening or closing it, including a lever operatively engaged with the window, a bowed spring fixedly connected at one end to the fulcrum of said lever, the extremity of the spring bearing against one face of the lever, a slide mounted for movement toward or from the fulcrum of the lever, a second outwardly bowed spring carried by said slide and having its extremity engaging the other face of the lever whereby said springs will exert pressure in opposite directions, the slide being manually movable to carry its spring to a position with its extremity inward of the extremity of the other spring or to a position with its extremity outward of the extremity of the other spring, a latching means constructed and arranged to latch the lever in any shifted position, and a lug on the slide engageable with the latching means to release the latter at the extremities of the movement ofthe slide, said latching means being released for latching engagement when the slide is moved inward of either of its extreme positions.

8. A window and means for opening or'closing it, including a lever having a sector gear at its inner end and mounted upon a shaft for oscillating movement, the lever being operatively connected to the window, a leaf spring connected at its inner end to the shaft, the spring being outwardly bowed and having its extremity engaged with one face of the lever, a manually operable slide movable toward or from the fulcrum of the lever, a second spring mounted at its butt end upon said slide, the spring being outwardly bowed and bearing at its extremity against the opposite face of the lever, the'slide when shifted in one direction carrying its spring toward the fulcrum whereby the extremity of the spring is carried outward to a greater distance from the fulcrum than the'extremity of the other spring, the slide being shiftable in the opposite direction to carry the extremity of its spring inward or nearer to the fulcrum than the extremity of theopposed spring, a pivoted latch having a detent. tooth engageable with the teethon said sector gear and resiliently urged into such engagement, and opposed lugs on said latch having oppositely inclined faces with which the slide is adapted to engage to depress the latch out of its latching engagement with the teeth of the sector gear when the slide has been shifted to either extreme position, an inward movement of the slide from either extreme position releasing the latch and causing it to engage the sector gear.

9. A window and means for opening or closing it, including a lever, a shaft upon which the lever is pivoted, the lever being operatively connected to the window, an outwardly bowed spring connected at one end to the shaft and bearing at its other end against one face of the lever, a wheel, a second bowed spring attached to the wheel at its butt end, thespring being bowed outward and slidingly engaging the other face of the lever, and a manuually operable slide having a rack engageable with the wheel to rotate the wheel and thus shift its spring in a direction to carry the extremity of the spring outward of or inward of the extremity of the first named spring.

10. A window and means for opening or closing it, including a lever operatively engaged with the window, a shaft upon which the lever is mounted, a second shaft, a toothed wheel mounted upon-the second-shaft, oppositely disposed bowed springs having their butt ends connected at diametrically opposite points to said toothed wheel, the free ends of the springs bearing against opposite faces of the lever, and means for rotating said wheel to retract one of said springs and project the other spring relative to each other and to the fulcrum of the lever.

' 11. A pivoted window and means for opening or closing it, including a shaft for the window, a beveled gear wheel mounted upon the shaft, a beveled gear wheel engaging the first named gear wheel and having an arm extending radially therefrom, an outwardly bowed spring attached at its butt end at the axis of said first named gear wheel and bearing at its free end against one face of the'lever, a manually shiftable slide movable toward or from the axis of the first named gear wheel, an outwardly bowed spring mounted at its butt end upon said slide and at its free end engaging against said arm on the edge opposite the point of engagement of the first named spring, a pivoted detent engageable with the teeth of one of said gear wheels, a rectilinearly movable connecting rod pivoted to said detent, the rod having an upwardly extending lug and inward of the lug having a fork, a. spring urging the rod in a direction to carry the detent into engagement with the teeth of said gear wheel, and a lever engaging said fork, the slide having a lug engageable with the lug when the slide is fully retracted from the axis of the first named gear wheel to thus release the detent or engageable with the lever to release the detent when the slide has been fully shifted toward the axis of the first named gear wheel.

12. A window and means for opening or closing it, including a lever operatively engaged with the window and opposed resiliently actuated elements bearing against opposite sides of the lever and urging it in opposite directions, and manually shiftable means for shifting the elements relative to each other to carry one or the other of the elements nearer to or further from the fulcrum of the lever relative to the other element.

13. A window and means for opening or closing it, including a lever operatively engaged with the window and opposed resiliently actuated elements bearing against opposite sides of the lever and urging it in opposite directions, manually shiftable means for shifting the elements relative to each other to carry one or the other of the elements nearer to or further from the fulcrum of the lever relative to the other element, and means for holding the lever in a shifted position.

GLENN W. MAYS. 

